KiZAN is a Microsoft National Solutions Provider specializing in technology solutions for customers across the United States. We can assess your goals, identify a solution that meets your needs, and help your business become more agile and efficient.

In this blog series, we have introduced various approaches for migrating to Teams (previous blog entries here: part 1, part 2). Whichever method you choose, you’re going to need to plan carefully.

First, understand who will be most affected by the changeover and get their opinions on the kind of support they’ll need. Then, create a transition timeline that ends with you switching over to Teams by or before the cutoff date. Only then can you choose the correct approach for your organization.

There is some good news. With a 2021 end of life deadline, there’s still plenty of time for you to train your workers and modify your applications. In addition, there are ways in which you can begin gradually introducing Teams, feature-by-feature, without immediately desisting from its predecessor.

When Skype for Business replaced Microsoft Lync back in 2015, we thought that it would be around forever. Nothing remains static in the world of software, however. When Microsoft announced Teams just two years later, we all knew that Skype for Business would one day come to an end. Skype for Business Online will be formally retired on July 31, 2020, and thereafter all-new Office 365 users will be onboarded directly to Teams.

Now that Microsoft Teams is at parity with Skype for Business Online, Microsoft has begun the process of converting the Office 365 Skype for Business Online service and will continue the process throughout 2019. This process will disable all features of Skype and will display an announcement that your company has transitioned to Teams when users attempt to launch the Skype application and redirect them to the new Teams client application.

The move to the cloud has necessitated a thorough reexamination of how customers and vendors plan, deliver and operate Skype for Business. Microsoft and KiZAN have developed unique offerings that provide guidance and assist with successfully delivering Skype for Business online, on-premise or taking a hybrid approach.

"The string of expletives accompanying Carl’s flying chair left little doubt the meeting was over."

The modern workplace is built for teams and networks. Real-time collaboration is incredibly important if you want to stay competitive. Complicating things are the surge of the Millennial generation into the workforce. By 2020, they will be the majority, and they communicate in a lightning fast way. If your organization does not provide the tools, they will find a way to get their job done outside of your network.

Microsoft understands this wave and how it will impact your business.
Skype for Business can be deployed online, on-premise or in a hybrid manner, to allow the functionality you need to prepare your business for this modern workplace.